SKH-1c-2015-20 Spiked Head

Description

The 2015 Lincoln Shield Cent produced an extraordinary number of spiked head varieties — at least sixty-five have been cataloged by Cuds on Coins, making it one of the most prolific years for this die failure type in the entire cent series. SKH-1c-2015-20 is the twentieth in that remarkable sequence, situated early in a catalog that would eventually triple in size. Why 2015 generated so many spiked heads remains a matter of informed speculation: possibilities include changes in die steel composition or heat treatment, increased production speed, extended die life targets, or an especially active community of variety hunters submitting discoveries during this period. Whatever the cause, sixty-five distinct working dies each developing a crack at the portrait-rim junction is a statistically notable clustering. For the collector, the sheer abundance of 2015 spiked heads makes this date an ideal starting point for building a variety collection — examples can be found in bank-wrapped rolls with patience and a loupe. Philadelphia struck billions of cents in 2015 on the standard copper-plated zinc planchets, each one a potential canvas for die-crack discovery.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References